Beautiful spots for walks near Manchester

There are two very different Alderley Edges. One is a chi-chi town of footballers and wealthy socialites, the other – this one – is a red sandstone escarpment with amazing views over Cheshire and a hippyish vibe.

The Carrs is a large, 70-acre park on the edge of Wilmslow that’s worthy of a day-trip even if you’re not a Cheshire native. From sledging to splashing about in the river, it’s a popular place in all seasons.

Dunham Massey is one of the National Trust’s most visited properties, bringing in over half a million people in 2023. We reckon at least 80% of them were Mancunians escaping the city for their nearest bucolic country park.

If you want a woodland walk complete with den-making, wildlife, picnic spots, and beautiful views, Etherow Country Park on the edge of Stockport ticks the boxes.

Haigh Woodland Park is a good mix of cultivated prettiness and ancient woodland with plenty of things to do.

Lyme Park is a huge estate with a Medieval herd of red deer, stunning views and a handsome Regency house.

Now a National Trust property, Lyme Park has something for visitors of all ages. Jane Austen fans may know it best as Pemberley, the home of Mr Darcy, where he emerges dripping wet from the lake in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.

Mam Tor is one of the highlights of the Peak District in an area that’s full of gems. The name means Mother Hill because the frequent landslips have created a series of mini-hills around it. This geological instability caused by layers of shale also give Mam Tor its other name, Shivering Mountain.

Pennington Flash is Greater Manchester’s only National Nature Reserve. This wetland habitat, formed by flash flooding of former coal mining sites, is home to all sorts of wildlife. With a number of bird hides dotted around, you might even be lucky enough to spot a kingfisher or a willow tit.

Quarry Bank Mill makes a change from the stately homes in pretty gardens National Trust blueprint. It’s an industrial gem but you’ll still find picturesque riverside gardens, woodland and rolling countryside.

Not far after the road descends from the summit of the Snake Pass (the road between Glossop and Sheffield), you’ll find an area of Forestry England land known as Snake Woodlands.

Tatton Park is a historic estate on the edge of Knutsford, home to an opulent neo-classical mansion, landscaped gardens, woodland, a farm, a huge deer park and a medieval Old Hall.

You can spend a pleasant few hours wandering through Worsley Woods, a 30-hectare woodland with well-marked trails, ponds, a children’s playground, and paths into the pretty village of Worsley.